Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (June 29 – July 5, 2022)

Attempted stabbing attack on the Temple Mount

• On the evening of June 28, 2022, a Palestinian armed with a knife went to a gate which serves as an entrance to the Temple Mount, and tried to stab one of the Border Police fighters stationed at the site. Unsuccessful, he fled, and was later found by the Israeli security forces. No casualties were reported (Israel Police Force Twitter account, June 28, 2022).

Massive gunfire at the Tomb of Joseph

• On June 30, 2022, Palestinians directed massive gunfire at Jewish worshippers entering the Tomb of Joseph in Nablus, also throwing IEDs and Molotov cocktails. Three Israelis were injured, two of them civilians and one a member of the Israeli security forces. The “Nablus Battalion” claimed responsibility for the gunfire, which they represented as revenge for the killing of Muhammad Marai on June 28, 2022 (Nablus Battalions Telegram channel, June 30, 2022). The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Fatah’s military-terrorist wing, also claimed responsibility for an attack to avenge “the crimes of the occupation” and its settlers, who allegedly continue attacking Palestinian lands [sic] and refugee camps (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, June 30, 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum praised the “men of Nablus” who had confronted the “occupation forces” and settlers at the Tomb of Joseph. He said that Israel’s acknowledgment of the wounding of “a brigade commander and a number of people” by the bullets of the “resistance” [terrorist operatives] confirmed the “resistance’s” ability to cause Israel losses and made it more difficult for Israel to “invade” or “attack.” He said confrontations had to continue and escalate in the towns and villages in the West Bank to cause Israel’s “plan” to fail and prevent Israel from achieving its objectives, leading to the “liberation of Palestine” (Fawzi Barhoum’s Telegram channel, June 30, 2022).

Counterterrorism activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria. They detained a number of Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activity and confiscated weapons. Israeli security forces defused a riot near Silwad, northeast of Ramallah. A masked Palestinian shot at them and then fled towards the village. No casualties or damage were reported.

   
Weapons confiscated during the detention of wanted Palestinians
(IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 3 and 4, 2022).

Palestinian deaths

• During an Israeli security force activity in Jenin on June 28, 2022, a Palestinian riding a motorcycle shot at the soldiers. They returned fire, killing Muhammad Maher Nafa Marai, 25, from the Jenin refugee camp (Ma’an, June 29, 2022). The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed he was an operative in the Jenin Battalion (PIJ Twitter account, June 28, 2022) Hamas also noted his death, stressing that the “resistance” [terrorist attacks] would continue (Hamas Telegram channel, June 28, 2022). Maher al-Akhras, a senior PIJ figure in northern Samaria, attended his funeral (Sanad website, June 29, 2022). According to Maher Marai, Muhammad’s father, his son had been a “resistance” operative from the time he was 16 years old. He refused to marry, saying he wanted to be a shaheed (Filastin al-Yawm, June 29, 2022).

   
Right: PIJ mourning notice for (westasia Twitter account, June 29, 2022). Left: The funeral held for Muhammad Marai in Jenin. His body was wrapped for burial in a PIJ flag (Sanad website, June 29, 2022).

• On July 3, 2022, Kamel Abdallah al-Awna, 19, from Jaba, south of Jenin, died. He was wounded the previous day by IDF fire after he threw a Molotov cocktail at the soldiers. The Fatah movement in Jaba issued a mourning notice for him, saying he was an operative in the Shabiba, Fatah’s youth movement (Facebook page of Fatah in Jaba, July 3, 2022). Hamas also issued a mourning notice for him. Kamel was named for his brother, a Fatah operative, who was killed in 2003 (Wafa, July 3, 2022). Fatah, Hamas and PIJ flags were carried at his funeral, and slogans were chanted for Palestinians to escalate the “popular and armed resistance” [popular terrorism] whenever Israeli forces entered Jenin. PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh expressed his condolences and the PA foreign ministry condemned the killing, calling on the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for the Israeli “war criminals” (Wafa, July 3, 2022).

    
Right: Fatah’s mourning notice for Kamel Abdallah al-Awna (Facebook page of Fatah in Jaba, July 3, 2022). Left: Hamas mourning notice for Kamel Abdallah al-Awna (Palestine Online Twitter account, July 3, 2022).

Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 2020^[1]

Goodwill gestures for the Palestinians in preparation for Eid al-Adha

• Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced a series of goodwill gestures for the Palestinians for Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice). They included quotas of permits to visit relatives in Israel, of visas to fly abroad from Ben-Gurion International Airport, and of permits to visit Eilat and increasing opening hours for the crossings. Four hundred Gazans will be allowed to visit Jerusalem and 500 will receive permits to visit family in Judea, Samaria and Israel (Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories website, July 3, 2022).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• This past week no rocket or mortar shell hits were identified in Israeli territory.

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Rebuilding the Gaza Strip

• More than a year after Operation Guardian of the Walls, Muhammad Aboud, head of reconstruction in the ministry of public works in the Gaza Strip, reported they had finally finished mapping the more than 60,000 dwelling units that had been damaged and 1,700 that had been completely destroyed. He said more than 45,000 damaged units, or about 75%, had been completely paid for in coordination with the donors. The first and second payments had been paid for units categorized as “completely destroyed” (Dunia al-Watan, June 2, 2022).
• UNRWA announced funds for rebuilding had been paid to approximately 100 families whose houses had been completely destroyed in Operation Guardian of the Walls. A second payment will be made to 91 families which are completing the rebuilding of their houses. According to reports, so far UNRWA has transferred a total of $8 million to 365 families whose houses were completely destroyed during Operation Guardian of the Walls. The agency continues paying the rent for families whose houses were destroyed (Dunia al-Watan, June 30, 2022).

Iranian financial aid for the families of shaheeds

• The al-Ansar charitable association announced that in conjunction with the Palestinian branch of the Iranian Shaheed Foundation funds would be distributed to the families of Palestinians killed during the second intifada and Operation Protective Edge (al-Ansar charitable association Facebook page, June 15, 2022). According to the announcement, addition information could be obtained from the association’s website, which is currently inoperative.
• Many Facebook followers of al-Ansar posted responses to the announcement. Answering a question from one follower, the association said that according to regulations which had been in place for years, families of Palestinian shaheeds who were younger than 15 and older than 60 were not entitled to aid (Facebook page of the National Committee of Shaheed Families in the Gaza Strip, June 15, 2022).

UNRWA’s financial aid situation

• Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said the agency would continue providing food allotments for the refugees in the Gaza Strip, regardless of the fact that they expected serious financial difficulties in September 2022 because of their budget deficit. He said UNRWA was making efforts to raise the money necessary to support its activities for the final four months of the year (Safa, July 3, 2022). UNRWA recently announced that the donor states authorized $160 million for its budget.

Press release following the Hamas delegation’s visit to Lebanon

• Taher al-Nunu, Isma’il Haniyeh’s media advisor, summarized the visit to the Hamas delegation to Lebanon, noting that it was “special” and important because they had met with the Hezbollah leadership and the leaders of the various Palestinian organizations. He said senior Hamas figures had noted their solidarity and support for Lebanon, and had discussed the issue of UNRWA. The Hamas delegation stressed its objection to “attacks” on the sites holy to Islam, especially al-Aqsa mosque. Regarding relations with Hezbollah, he said they were “strategic.” Meeting with the Palestinian organizations, they stressed their “resistance” to Israel’s activities. He said all their “political” efforts were based on Jerusalem as the focal point of the Arab-Muslim world (Shehab, June 29, 2022).
• Khalil al-Haya, deputy chairman of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip and responsible for the organization’s inter-Arab relations, was interviewed by the Lebanese daily newspaper al-Akhbar on the sidelines of the Hamas delegation’s visit to Lebanon. He was asked about a statement made by Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, several months ago, regarding breaking the [so-called Israeli] “siege” of the Gaza Strip.^[2] Al-Haya confirmed that Hamas did in fact intend to break the “siege” by bringing aid ships from abroad. He said a few days before Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that the oil tanker for Lebanon from Iran was Lebanese territory under the protection of the “resistance,” the Hamas leadership though about breaking the “siege” of the Gaza Strip by purchasing aid ships abroad. He said they also planned to defend the ships in case of “friction with Israel.” However, he said, the plans were not completed because of the developments that led to Operation Guardian of the Walls (al-Akhbar, June 28, 2022).

Reactions to the Negev Forum conference in Bahrain

• On June 28, 2022, the Negev Forum steering committee met in Bahrain for the first time and agreed to advance various security, education, energy and tourism projects. In response to the meeting, which was meant to increase cooperation between Israel and other regional countries, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the Negev Forum would not bring regional security or stability and would harm the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people. He said the forum could be expected to shock all Arabs and especially the Palestinians, because while Israel continued its [alleged] “crimes” against the Palestinian people, some of the Arab states were determined to give Israel “legitimacy,” rob the Palestinians of their rights and threaten “Arab national security.” He called on the Arab states participating in the forum to examine their positions and withdraw immediately from the “crime [of the forum],” which harmed regional stability and security, and increased the disputes and anger between Israel and the Palestinians (Shehab, June 29, 2022).

Registration for Hamas’ summer camps begins

• Hamas announced registration for its summer camps had begun on July 1, 2022 and would continue until July 8. This year the camps’ theme will be “Roots in Jerusalem,” and they would be open to Gazan children 14 years old and older. Hamas conducts summer camps every year and thousands of children attend them, where they are indoctrinated with radical Islamist ideology and have semi-military training.

Preparations for the visit of the President of the United States

• Preparations continue in the PA for the visit of American President Joe Biden. Mahmoud Abbas spoke with American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying he hoped the visit would contribute to the creation of a “political horizon” for the two-state solution, and lead to stopping Israel’s unilateral actions, the reopening of the American consulate in Jerusalem and removing the PLO from the American list of designated terrorist organizations. Mahmoud Abbas also said that Israel had to stop deducting funds from the tax revenues it collected for the PA. Blinken said President Biden would mention the Palestinians’ demands to the Israeli prime minister (Wafa, June 30, 2022).
• Muhammad Shtayyeh met with several members of Congress and updated them on developments in the Palestinian arena. He repeated the Palestinians demands and called on the United States to exert pressure on Israel to stop its unilateral actions and to compel it to implement signed agreements. He said they were living under “a direct military occupation” which controlled all areas of their lives and it had to end (Wafa, June 28, 2022).
• Regarding the issue of the American president’s visit, Deputy Fatah chairman Mahmoud al-‘Aloul said the PA did not expect progress to be made during the visit and they had no hopes [of support from] the administration. He said the president had sent very positive messages to Mahmoud Abbas about the United States’ commitment to the two-state solution, its objection to expanding the settlements and reopening the American consulate in Jerusalem, but in reality the United States had done nothing to translate the words into action. For that reason, he said, the Palestinian leadership would be forced to act in accordance with the decisions passed by the PLO’s Central Council (Mahmoud al-‘Aloul’s Facebook page, June 30, 2022).

PA minister of education attends a meeting at UNESCO headquarters in Paris

• Palestinian minister of education Marwan Awartani attended a preparatory meeting for the Transforming Education conference^[3] held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. On the sidelines of the conference the Palestinian minister met with several senior officials. He told them that education and the Palestinian curriculum were a Palestinian matter, strongly connected to Palestinian identity and the “national narrative.” He added that decisions regarding all of the curriculum’s components would continue to be national and independent, based on the fundamental national principles which were the source of authority for the curriculum in a way that was appropriate for international conventions (ministry of education in Ramallah website, June 29, 2022).

The Palestinian delegation headed by Marwan Awartani meets with an aide of the UNESCO general director for education (ministry of education in Ramallah website, June 29, 2022).

Preoccupation with the death of Shireen Abu Akleh continues

• In preparation for Joe Biden’s visit, and after continued refusal, the PA announced it would agree to an American investigation of the death of al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot to death in Jenin on May 11, 2022. The Palestinian media reported the PA agreed after pressure had been exerted by the American administration. On July 2, 2022, the PA transferred the bullet to American experts for examination. Akram Khatib, the Palestinian attorney general, said that from the beginning they had welcomed the involvement of any international agency interested in helping with the investigation and finding the truth about her death. However, he said, the PA would never hand the bullet over to the Israelis, but would allow the Americans to investigate (al-Jazeera, July 2, 2022).
• Following the criticism of permitting the Americans to examine the bullet, the attorney general said the examination would take place in the American embassy and it would be returned to the Palestinians immediately thereafter. He also said they had received guarantees from the Americans that the examination would be conducted by Americans without Israeli involvement (Voice of Palestine radio, July 3, 2022).
•   The Palestinian media recently reported the publishing of pictures of Mahmoud al-Dabai, 20, a PIJ operative from the Jenin refugee camp who has been on a hunger strike since his detention by Israel on May 13, 2022. According to the Palestinian media, Israel suspects him of having fired the shot the killed Shireen Abu Akleh (Twitter account of Imad al-Din, June 25, 2022). His medical condition is reported as serious. Pictures show him heavily armed (Shehab website, June 26, 2022).

   
Right: Mahmoud al-Dabai amid his weapons (Shehab website, June 26, 2022). Left: Mahmoud al-Dabai (Palinfo Twitter account, June 27, 2022).

Death of a Palestinian woman in an Israeli jail

• Saadia Farajallah, 68, from Idhna, who carried out a stabbing attack in December 2021, died of an illness. Mahmoud Abbas’ office said the Israeli authorities were fully responsibility for her death and claimed she had been killed by deliberate medical negligence. The office called for an international investigation into her death, noting that the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails were the most important issue for the Palestinian people, and the PA would not allow them or their families to be harmed. Muhammad Shtayyeh said the Israeli government was fully responsible for her death and called on international human rights organizations to investigate the circumstances of her death and exert pressure on Israel to release all the prisoners, especially minors and the ill (Wafa, July 2, 2022).
• The Commission for Prisoners and Released Prisoners called on the Magistrate’s Court in Haifa to order an autopsy in the presence of a Palestinian doctor to find the cause of her death (Arabsof48, July 3, 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua said Israel would be responsible for the consequences, and that the death of the oldest prisoner was proof of Israel’s “cruelty.” He said the “crime” had to motivate international institutions to end their silence and to persecute Israel’s leaders. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem sent his condolences and said it illustrated the medical negligence in Israeli jails, adding that the “crime” revealed Israel’s treatment of prisoners, especially those who were ill (Hamas website, July 2, 2022). Ahmed al-Mudallal, senior PIJ figure, said her death was a premeditated crime and Israel would be responsible for the consequences (Paltoday, July 2, 2022).

PA monetary authority report for 2021

• On June 29, 2022, Dr. Fares Milhem, chairman of the Palestinian Monetary Authority, presented Mahmoud Abbas with his report for 2021, briefing him on economic trends and plans for developing the Palestinian banking system in the future. Mahmoud Abbas praised him for the Monetary Authority’s achievements and expressed his support for the future development of the Palestinian banking system (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, June 29, 2022).
• According to the report, in 2021 the Palestinian economy grew by 7.1% and the GNP was $15 billion. Unemployment reached 26.4% (having risen to 46.9% in the Gaza Strip and dropped in the West Bank to 15.5%). He said the decrease in international aid to the PA influenced the government’s ability to meet its commitments because it was 12 billion shekels (about $3.4 billion) in debt. Regarding the Palestinian economy in 2022, Milhem expects the trend of economic recovery to continue, but more slowly than last year (Palestinian monetary fund website, June 30, 2022).

   
Right: Fares Milhem gives Mahmoud Abbas the annual report (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, June 29, 2022). Left: The annual report for 2021 (Palestinian Monetary Authority website, June 30, 2022).

Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research public opinion poll for the second quarter of 2022

• On June 28, 2022, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), headed by Khalil al-Shqaqi, published the results of it public opinion poll for the second quarter of the year. The poll was conducted between June 22 and 25, 2022, and 1,270 Palestinians from Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip participated. The period before the poll was conducted witnessed several developments, including several terrorist attacks by Palestinians against Israelis inside Israel, Palestinians rioting against the Israeli security forces in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, the killing of al-Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh and the Flag March. The following are some of the poll’s results (PCPSR website, June 28, 2022):
  • Hamas’ popularity rose to 33% from 31% in the last quarter. Fatah’s popularity dropped, particularly in the Gaza Strip. If elections were held tomorrow, 37% would vote for Fatah, down from 47% in the last poll. Support for Isma’il Haniyeh rose and dropped for Mahmoud Abbas.
  • 73% of the population in the Gaza Strip supports “armed attacks;” 44% in the West Bank; 46% think terrorist attacks are in the national interest, 47% think they are not. There was also a drop in support for the two-state solution.
  • 65% support confidence-building measures.
  • 26% said the main problem was unemployment and poverty; 79% think the government is not doing enough to reduce prices.
  • Regarding a potential replacement for Mahmoud Abbas, 34% do not know for whom they would vote. Marwan Barghouti, who is in jail in Israel, continues as the favorite candidate, with 30% of the potential votes.

Senior Palestinian figures warn Israel not to excavate near the Western Wall

• Adnan al-Husseini, chairman of the PLO’s Jerusalem department, and Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the mufti of Jerusalem, warned Israel about excavating near the walls of the Temple Mount. They claimed the excavations were being conducted at the same time as Palestinian lands near al-Aqsa mosque were being registered as belonging to Jews. The mufti claimed the excavation could compromise the foundations of al-Aqsa mosque and cause its destruction (al-Andalou News, June 27, 2022). Similar remarks assertions were made by Dr. Najeh Bakirat, deputy directory of the Islamic waqf on the Temple Mount. The said the excavations carried out by Israel near the walls of the Temple Mount were meant to change data and falsify ownership of the areas near al-Aqsa mosque (Arabsof48, June 27, 2022).

   
Excavations near the Western Wall (Wafa, June 29, 2022).

• According to the ministry of health in Ramallah, as of July 3, 2022, the number of active cases in Judea and Samaria rose from 938 on June 27, 2022, to 1,742. In the Gaza Strip there were 38 active cases, up from 11 on June 27, 2022. In east Jerusalem there were 940 active cases. The focal points of the disease are Ramallah, with 566 active cases, and Nablus, with 386 (corona.ps website, July 3, 2022)
• Dr. Kamal al-Shakhra, spokesman for the ministry of health in Ramallah, warned the virus was serious and dangerous. He said there was a rise in infection because of the number of foreign tourists entering the PA for the holidays and summer vacation. He added that the rate of infection varied from district to district, fluctuating between 18% and 38%. He called on the public to avoid gatherings and to wear masks, especially in closed spaces (Wafa, July 3, 2022).

UAVs launched to spy on the Israeli oil rig

• Israel reported that on the afternoon of July 2, 2022, three Hezbollah UAVs were intercepted several dozen kilometers from the inactive Karish oil rig. One UAV was intercepted by an F-16 and two others by Barak surface-to-air missiles launched from an Israeli gunboat. It was the first time the missiles had been launched at sea (IDF spokesman, July 2, 2022).
• Late in the evening of July 2, 2022, Hezbollah’s media department formally announced that the Jamil Sakaf and Mahdi Yaghi^[4] squad had launched three UAVs of various sizes in the direction of the disputed area of the Karish natural gas field. Their mission was to gather intelligence; the mission had been accomplished and the message conveyed (al-Manar TV, July 2, 2022). Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his deputy, Na’im Qassem, recently announced that Hezbollah was prepared to use any and all means at their disposal, including the use of military force, to prevent Israel from drilling in the Karish natural gas field in the disputed area (al-Mayadeen, July 2, 2022).
• Senior Hezbollah figure Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek, said in a speech that the UAVs had sent the message not only to Israel, but to the American mediator as well, that Lebanon’s rights were not to be ignored (Fars News, June 3, 2022).

Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other attacks

• In Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads. The more prominent events were the following:^[5]
  • July 3, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Husan bypass road between the al-Khadr Junction and Beitar Illit, west of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  •   July 2, 2022: A large rock was thrown at a vehicle at the Bayt Einun Junction, north of Kiryat Arba-east of Hebron. Two women were injured by flying glass.

   
Window shattered by a rock and cuts from flying glass

• • July 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Bayt Sira, west of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 29, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the road to Lavona, north of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 29, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Tapuah and Ariel, in the Marda area, southwest of Nablus. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 29, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the bus was damaged.
  • June 28, 2022: Rocks were thrown at Israeli vehicles the entrance to Hares, northwest of Ariel. A woman was injured; several vehicles were damaged.
  • June 28, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown from a motorcycle at an IDF post near Einav, southeast of Tulkarm. No casualties or damage were reported.